With Parrikar in hospital, Goa Congress demands floor test by BJP-led govt

Congress legislators in Goa Tuesday met Governor Mridula Sinha and asked her to direct the BJP-led government to have a floor test to prove its majority in the Assembly.

The move came at a time when 62-year-old Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is admitted in the AIIMS in Delhi for a pancreatic ailment.

The Congress legislators, led by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, demanded that the governor should summon one-day session of the Assembly for a floor test.

"Let the state government prove on the floor that they have majority or else we can show that we have more legislators than them," Kavlekar told reporters after meeting Sinha.

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Congress has 16 members.

The state is being ruled by the BJP with the support of Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), NCP and Independents.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, GFP and MGP have three each and NCP has one. There are also three Independents.

The Congress legislators also urged the governor not to allow dissolution of the Assembly.

"We dont want another election within one-and-a-half years," Kavlekar said.

"If the (BJP-led) coalition cant run the government, then we are ready to take over," he said, while noting that Congress is the single largest party in the House.

Congress Legislature Party had yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Governors office on Monday but could not meet Governor as she was out of station.